Blog #506: What Drives Neurodivergent Individuals to Comic Cons?

When it comes to social activities for neurodivergent individuals, they can range from small social group outings by various organizations to activities that are done individually.

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But there is something about Comic Cons that can act sort of like a magnet towards individuals who are neurodivergent. When it comes to neurodivergent representation at comic cons, Maybe it could be that they are trying to see their favorite actor or comic book artists, a chance to transform into one of their favorite characters via a cosplay. For others, they have a chance to attend a comic con and show off their creative talents whether it be musical, public speaking or through the arts.

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You might say that my formal training towards becoming a practicing public speaker was entirely done in public school. Well, yes that is true, but there is also the matter of actually doing your training out in the field which I did from 2013 to 2019 with My Little Pony conventions. Now, that I have become a full fledged speaker running a small business like Going the Distance, I now look back and I see just how much of an impact comic cons can be towards the neurodivergent population.

Plus, it's not just the individuals who wish to attend a comic con, but also their families as well. For the parents or guardians, we are now at an age where the parents grew up on comic book characters and are trying to pass their interests and the lessons that they teach to their own children.

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Of course, it's also worth noting that for some individuals, families can see comic cons as nothing more than shady amusement parks with shady characters. We see this a lot in something like the furry fandom as there are a few bad apples that spoil the batch. I mean, look at RainFurrest 2015 in Seattle, Washington, for example. There were more than a few bad apples who ruined things for everyone and it's publicity like this that can make neurodivergent individuals and families turn away.

What I feel that comic cons or any kind of fan convention need to be is to show to potential neurodivergent attendees and their families that they can be able to go safely while also practicing their social skills at the same time.

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To this end, I've been trying to get back into the comic con race for some time because while my main focus is on education whose audiences largely consists of teachers and parents, the Comic Cons are geared towards the individuals and their families who are seeking for something to do out in the community.

So, if you see me make an announcement that I am speaking a comic con in the near future, you can bet that there is a neurodivergent family out there that will come where they feel welcomed and eager to learn more not just about the characters featured in my trainings, but about their own loved ones as well.

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Catch you all later!!